Venezuela Wins First Baseball Classic on Gutsy Steal

Javier Sanoja slid into second base with his team's hopes riding on his right foot, which barely touched the back corner of the bag as the throw sailed high.

The Marlins utility player had just pulled off the gutsiest stolen base in World Baseball Classic history. Four pitches later, he scored the winning run as Venezuela defeated Team USA 3-2 to claim their first championship.

Playing at his home stadium in Miami, Sanoja entered as a pinch runner for Luis Arraez after a leadoff walk in the ninth inning. On a 1-1 count, he took off for second base and beat the tag despite a perfect throw from catcher Will Smith that took a high hop.

Team USA challenged the call, but replay confirmed what Venezuelan fans in the stadium already believed. Their team was one swing away from history.

Eugenio Suárez delivered that swing, lacing a double to left-center field that brought Sanoja home. The utility man threw his hands wide crossing home plate and jumped into a pile of teammates as the crowd erupted.

Manager Omar López had rolled the dice in a massive way. Sanoja's stolen base attempt was the only one in the ninth inning or later across all six World Baseball Classic finals in tournament history. He'd only succeeded on six of 11 steal attempts during his rookie season with the Marlins.

The Ripple Effect

Venezuela's victory resonated far beyond the diamond. Before each game, reliever Eduard Bazardo pulled out his special drum, el tambor, and the team danced in a circle celebrating their Venezuelan pride and culture.

"That's our country. That's us. That's winter ball," López said. "That's how we enjoy our baseball."

The championship marked a stunning turnaround for a team that hadn't reached the semifinals since 2009. Most experts predicted the Dominican Republic, United States, or Japan would win, but Venezuela danced their way to glory instead.

Sanoja appeared in just three games during the tournament, collecting three hits including a home run. But when his moment arrived, he made it count in the biggest way possible.

"My moment came," Sanoja told the Miami Herald afterward, summing up what every athlete dreams of saying.

The celebration continued long after the final out, with music from Venezuelan band Tambor Urbano filling loanDepot park as confetti rained down on champions who believed when few others did.